


Carry Me To Victory

by orphan_account



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure, Best Friends, Coming of Age, Gen, Growing Up, Unknown Region, Unspecified Setting, long journey, overcoming the odds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-12 20:48:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16003031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The story of a boy and his Ponyta.





	Carry Me To Victory

Alex Murphy was born on a tiny little Pokemon Ranch out in the middle of absolute nowhere. Out in the country, far away from the nearest towns and cities, the days stretched out long and hot. Most of Alex’s childhood was spent outside, exploring the surrounding wilderness, playing games with his six older siblings, and helping his parents take care of the Pokemon they bred.

A lot of the species they raised were pretty standard fare: Tauros and Miltank, Mudsdale and Gogoat, a few Grumpig here and there, but Alex only held mild affection for these. His true love, the Pokemon he admired most, the one he spend the most time trying to impress, was their only female Rapidash, Eos.

She was a gorgeous creature. Her body was lean and powerful, her mane was a wildly healthy flame, and her dark eyes shined so enigmatically that a single glance burned Alex through, all the way to his core. He spent many summer days watching her as a child. Relaxing under the shade of a tree, a glass of Berry Juice in hand, he observed her as she trotted around with a regal flare. He dreamt of one day earning the privilege to sit on her back as she went along, something even his parents weren’t allowed to do.

For thirteen years, Eos never gave Alex the time of day. Although he spent endless hours giving her his full attention, she didn’t even seem to know that he existed. Alex didn’t really mind. He was content adoring her from afar, thinking that if he gave her the space, she would find her way to him one day.

Then, one day, she went missing.

The entire ranch was in chaos. Each available hand was sent off in search of her, scouring the forest, the plains, even down near the lake where she never grazed, but she was nowhere to be found. Alex was probably the most panicked. He couldn’t cope with the idea that she could just disappear, running out of his life without leaving anything behind.

When searching with his siblings proved too slow, he went off on his own, looking quickly and thoroughly in as many places as he could think of. The clearings were empty, the craggy places leading into the mountains were abandoned, and almost every small cave he found had no signs of life, human or Pokemon. He was running out of options as he approached the final cave. Dread began to fill him. Finding nothing there would make it impossible to deny his worst fear: maybe she was just gone. Maybe she was just gone, and she would never come back.

Trekking into the cave, the first thing Alex noticed was the unusually high humidity. It only got stronger as he progressed, and he felt the need to tug on his collar to keep cool. He was nervous, apprehensive, not so sure about the deafening silence until it was broken. A small snort, then a whinney bounced against the rocky walls around him. As soon as he heard it, he took off, running as quickly as he could through the small space until he came across a roomy chamber. In the middle of it was Eos, lying gracefully across the floor, and nestled against her body was a bright orange egg.

Alex stood at the entrance for a few long moments. His eyes were trained on the egg, wide with shock and disbelief, while Eos gazed at him lazily. She eventually shook him out of his stupor with a small huff and a jerk of her head, indicating that he should come over.

Come over he did, awkwardly, stiffly, plopping down carefully in front of the Rapidash and her unborn child. The air hung heavily around them, but Eos seemed content. They sat like that for a while, quietly, as Alex sweltered in what he realized was a giant incubation chamber for the egg. He had no idea what Eos wanted from him there, but he sat patiently, obediently, waiting.

After what felt like a small eternity of sitting and staring, the egg started to glow. It was faint at first, barely noticeable, but it slowly grew brighter until it was a blinding light that engulfed the once dim room. Alex had to cover his eyes until it died down, and when he looked back he was faced with the most beautiful thing he had ever seen:

A baby Ponyta.

The small, fragile creature stood wobbling on its weak legs. Its eyes were as clear and pure as a Suicune-blessed lake, and as Alex looked into them he fell immediately in love. His heart was captured at the first glance, and it melted at the first adorable neigh.

Eos regarded the situation with calm pride. She nudged the newborn with her head, nuzzling it and pushing it toward Alex at the same time, encouraging it to walk. It stumbled in Alex’s direction, each step bringing more strength until it was right in front of him, observing him curiously.

Alex looked between Eos and the Ponyta several times, seeking approval before doing anything. Eos nodded at him subtly, then glanced at her foal, giving him her permission. Gulping, Alex raised his hand, slightly shaking, and held it out for the Ponyta. The newborn leaned toward him, sniffing him first, before ducking its head under it to let Alex pet its mane. Relief washed over him. He carefully stroked the flames, watching in amazement as his hand went through them without burning.

A grin formed on his lips as affection gathered in his chest.

“Hey there…” he murmured gently.

In that unbearably hot cave, with the most innocent love surrounding them all, the perfect name popped into Alex’s head.

“Hey there… Fionna…”

* * *

 

One year later, Alex and Fionna set off on their own adventure.

With a single backpack made up by his parents, and Eos’ blessing, they set off down the road, never hesitating to look back.

The first day, while arguably the least eventful, was the most exciting. Neither Alex nor Fionna had ever done much travelling away from home, so being able to walk through the routes freely was exhilarating. Newfound independence put a spring in their step, made every sight the best one they had ever seen, and made every Pokemon they spotted feel as important as Arceus itself.

They set up camp that night without a tent, lying under the sparkling tapestry of stars that made up the night sky. Alex huddled up in his sleeping bag, feeling pleasantly chilled after a long day of walking. Fionna curled up by his head to act as both an extra pillow and a space heater. They laid in silence for quite a while, reflecting on what being out on their own really meant, and while Fionna had started to drift off into sleep, Alex couldn’t have been more awake.

“I’m so excited,” he finally blurted out, startling Fionna back to life. “Sorry, but this is just so cool. We’re on our own adventure, we’re gonna take on the Pokemon League... just thinking about it makes me too excited to sleep! I mean, how could I possibly sleep, you know?”

Fionna whinnied sarcastically in response. Alex laughed sheepishly.

“Well, I know you can sleep just fine.. But you gotta know what I mean, right?” he asked, turning to look up at her face. “It’s our own journey to go on, together. This is life defining! We’ll remember this when we get old and I get rich.”

Snorting, Fionna tapped Alex lightly on the forehead with her snout, her way of telling him to use his brain.

This only caused him to laugh more. “Alright, alright, maybe not quite rich, but..” He sighed dreamily, wiggling his arms out of the sleeping bag to instead wrap around Fionna’s middle as he nuzzled into her coat. “We’re gonna be great. I just know it.”

A warm moment of affection passed between them. Fionna neighed happily in agreement, resting her head in Alex’s hair for a bit before settling back into a good sleeping position. Alex smiled against her. Their eyes slowly slid shut as silence once again surrounded them, echoing off the trees, soaking into the ground, declaring humbly to the world that they would conquer it someday.

* * *

 

 

“Finish her off with a Hydro Pump, Gyarados!”

A harsh spray of water shot from the opposing Gyarados’ mouth, hitting a weakened Fionna straight on. The current was so strong that it threw her whole body back against the wall. Alex flinched at the noise it made, running over to her fainted body on the ground as soon as the attack was over.

“Fionna!” he cried, sliding next to her on his knees. Just like the last time, she was out cold, completely unresponsive to his presence. The only thing that reassured him was the steady rise and fall of her abdomen, showing that she was still breathing. A small sigh of relief fell from his lips.

“Good job, Fionna. You did great,” he said with a small smile as he returned her to her Pokeball. He stood up slowly, looking down at the device with a strange mix of pride, disappointment, and worry.

“Hey, Kid!”

Alex jumped and turned around to face the approaching Gym Leader, a tall man with soft features and hard eyes. He, too, held a Pokeball, likely containing the Gyarados that had been tormenting Alex’s dreams for weeks.

“You know,” began the Gym Leader, standing close enough to Alex to put a hand on his shoulder if he really wanted to, “I admire your dedication. How many times have you come in here? Five, six? With just that spunky Ponyta and all the charisma you got?”

“Seven, actually,” Alex corrected. “Today makes seven.”

The Gym Leader nearly cracked a smile. “Seven times. Don’t you think that’s six too many, with a team of one Fire-Type and nothing else?”

Alex shrugged a bit, looking back down at Fionna’s Pokeball. “No, I don’t think so. We’re tough, and we’re not ready to quit yet.”

“I get that,” the Gym Leader nodded, “I really do, but there comes a point when you gotta stop torturing your poor horse. Why don’t you go out, catch some grass and electric types, train them up, then come back and try again? I’ll welcome you with open arms.”

Alex’s face twisted up in an offended frown. “Torture? You think I’m torturing my Pokemon?”

“Anyone who keeps sending out a Ponyta against a Gyarados isn’t doing it to be nice, that’s for sure.”

“..With all due respect, sir,” Alex said, his posture a bit too stiff and his jaw a bit too rigid, “you don’t know anything about us. We’re a team. We’re the best duo that the world has ever seen, because we worked hard to get here, and we never give up. I don’t send Fionna out because I’m cruel. I send her out because she wants to be there, to fight, to give it her all against the hardest opponent she’s had so far and eventually find a way to win. I’m not about to stop supporting her just because you can’t see that.”

The Gym Leader stared at Alex, who stared right back, for a long moment. When nothing was said, the younger of the two turned to walk out, saying, “I need to go heal my Pokemon. See you later.”

“Kid, wait.”

Alex paused, not looking back. “What?”

“There’s a training center right outside of town. It’s a small building, so it’s easy to miss, but there are tons of experts in there that can help you. Challenge me again after you’ve trained there.”

“..Will do,” Alex nodded. He walked out after the encounter, his skin covered in nervous goosebumps from talking back to an adult.

* * *

 

“Gyarados, use Hydro Pump!”

“Fionna, dodge and use Bounce!”

The torrent of water flew back straight toward the wall that time, Fionna already high above it. Her hooves came together as she fell, bringing all the force of four dropping diamonds down right on the Gyarados’ head. The beast swayed. It was obviously dizzy from the impact, so Alex took the opportunity as soon as he saw it.

“Okay, let’s finish this with a Flare Blitz!” he called out, thrusting his hand forward for effect.

Fionna’s body became surrounded by a fiery orange aura. It rippled around her just briefly before she charged, knocking into the Gyarados so hard that Alex could swear he heard a sizzle.

After that, no one was surprised to watch the towering serpent fall back into the water. Its fainted body floated right on the surface, making it plain for all to see that the Ponyta had defeated it. Stillness persisted as the information registered in the minds of those present.

“We won,” Alex stated. Laughter formed in his chest and bubbled up his throat. “We won!”

Fionna whinnied in joy as she ran to her trainer, who fell onto his knees to hug her around the neck.

“Oh, I’m so proud of you, we finally, finally-!”

“Kid.”

Alex and Fionna looked up simultaneously at the Gym Leader. He had apparently returned his Pokemon and made his way around the pool to stand by them, his hands idling in his pockets. Alex regarded him with a plain, nervous face, not sure what to expect.

Then the Gym Leader broke into a grin, drawing a bright blue badge from his jeans. “You found a way to win, against all odds. You’ve earned this.”

After sharing a look with Fionna, Alex jumped up to take the badge. The cool metal of it felt very satisfying in his hand. The weight was just right, the color was pleasing to his eye, and the happiness that swelled inside of him couldn’t be beat. Fionna skipped around him merrily, not at all looking like she had just gone through a hard gym battle. It seemed those two weeks of training really paid off.

They left that place with a feeling of victory clinging to them. Just as they had thought, with enough drive, they could do anything they set their mind to. They could even beat Water with Fire.

* * *

 

 

The blizzard, on top of everything else, seemed like an overkill to Fionna. As she and Alex stumbled into a shallow cave at the top of the mountain, Alex nearly falling as he tried to ease himself down against the icy wall, Fionna could only wonder if things would have been different if they had left town an hour earlier. She laid down beside her trainer, offering herself for warmth and comfort. Alex smiled weakly at her through the pain in his expression.

“Hah.. Yeah, this is pretty bad, huh?” he said, his voice not without humor.

Fionna looked down at his ankle. It had slipped between those two rocks so easily, but when they tried to pull it free, it didn’t come out. They finally managed to rip it from its prison as the snow started to fall, although the sickeningly loud crack it made as it popped out was indicative of something wrong. Gazing at it then, Fionna was disgusted by the angle it rested at. She couldn’t imagine how much it must have hurt.

Alex rested an arm on her and let out a strained chuckle. “This is far as I can go... I can’t walk on this thing anymore. It’d take us hours to get down in this weather, with me hopping along... We’d just get lost.”

Fionna huffed with concern, pushing her snout against Alex’s stomach to show him her worry.

“Hey, it’s okay... I’ll be fine,” he said, running a hand through her mane. Not a second later, a gust of wind pushed a flurry of snow into the cave, causing both of them to shiver. “Ugh... We can’t stay up here, though. We’ll freeze before it clears up...”

The air was tense with uncertainty as they sat there, watching the snow whip furiously around the mountain.

Finally, Alex let out a small sigh and said, “Fionna. You have to go ahead without me.”

Fionna immediately refused. With an indignant neigh, she tapped her snout to the center of Alex’s forehead.

“I can’t let you sit here and become an icicle for me,” he said seriously, looking directly into her eyes. “You have to go ahead. You can get help when you reach the next town and come back for me. I’ll be fine.”

Fionna shook her head wildly, standing and nudging Alex with her head to urge him up as well.

A small sob of anguish and frustration shook Alex’s shoulders. “Fionna, please, you have to go! Just leave me!”

There was only one word resonating in Fionna’s mind as the white light of evolution covered her. As her form changed, growing larger, stronger, more powerful than ever before, as Alex gaped at her in disbelief, that one word sounded louder, and louder, and louder.

_Never._

Once it was all over, the light dissipated from her slowly. Alex could hardly believe his eyes. As a Rapidash, Fionna was the spitting image of her mother. If he didn’t know any better, if they didn’t have a completely different bond, he would have sworn he was looking at Eos. He did know better, though. He knew that Fionna was all her own, the greatest friend he had ever made who evolved just for him.

“I..” he mumbled, unable to take his eyes off of her. Fionna stood before him, majestic, regal, more beautiful than ever and yet still exactly the same as before. “You..”

Fionna bowed her head down and lowered her body. When Alex didn’t stand, she glanced up at him and huffed, motioning toward her back. She was big enough now to ride, and fast enough to get them to town before frostbite could even think about setting in.

Alex was paralyzed for a moment longer before he got the hint and struggled to his feet. It took several tries, but he managed to hop up onto Fionna’s back, wrapping his arms securely around her neck to keep from falling back off. She waited to make sure he was ready, then she exited the cave and started sprinting down the mountain toward safety.

It was hard for Alex to describe their journey to town, but if he had to choose one word to summarize it all, his feelings about Fionna evolving, carrying him through the biting cold, loving him enough to make such a huge leap, there was one that came instantly to his mind:

Breathtaking.

* * *

“Are you ready?”

Fionna regarded the question as a silly one. She and Alex stood outside of the Champion’s chamber, only moments from entering and issuing their challenge. Of course she was ready; they had worked tirelessly to get to this moment. All the Gym Battles. The training. The low points they trudged out of together, making them feel like kings when they finally succeeded. It was all to defeat the Elite Four. All to get to battle against the Champion. All for victory. Glory.

Alex looked just as certain she did. Their journey, his age, showed plainly on his features. He had become sharper, older, even more determined than when they first started. Their eyes met, briefly, and a million things were communicated in just that single glance.

_We got this._

_I believe in you._

_Watch out world, here we come._

Their shoulders rose in one last deep, confident breath before they pushed through the door to enter the chamber. They walked together toward the challenger’s side of the battlefield. On the far end of the room, the Champion stood from her throne, smiling, like she was waiting for them.

“So you finally made it,” she said, adjusting her ponytail, “little brother.”

“Thalia,” he grinned in response, “it’s been too long. Are you really still Champion? I thought someone would’ve come along and seized the title by now.”

Thalia laughed. “Of course not, little brother. I’ve reigned over this League for five years. I’m not about to be overthrown that easily.”

“Heh, we’ll see about that,” Alex replied. As if on cue, Fionna stepped forward onto the battlefield, strutting up to the center to show herself off to Thalia, who whistled in approval.

“I’ve been hearing all sorts of stories about a boy and his Rapidash. I couldn’t believe someone would only battle with one Pokemon, but,” Thalia smiled, her eyes twinkling with affection, “you raised yourself one fine horse, Alex.”

“It wasn’t all me,” he said, looking at Fionna with the exact same affection. “We raised each other. We’re a team, you know?”

“Yeah, I know,” Thalia nodded, grabbing her first Pokeball. “You didn’t just train a powerhouse, you made a forever friend. The bond you two share is clear as day, and that’s why you’ve made it this far.”

She threw the capsule, and from it emerged an impressively tall Rhydon.

“But that’s also why I’m not going easy on you,” she grinned.

Alex and Fionna both prepared themselves, getting into a battle stance. In the second after the Rhydon was released, they had already pinpointed at least five areas of weakness to attack. The battle was going to be a fun one.

“We wouldn’t have it any other way,” Alex grinned back. “Fionna, use Bounce!”

* * *

“Then what happened?”

Three children of various ages crowded around the sitting chair in the living room. They had become engrossed in the story their father was telling, and they craved the ending. They wanted to know how he had managed to beat the Champion, the struggles he faced and how he pulled through to win it all in the end.

“Well..” Alex said, leaning forward a bit. “It was a long battle, a good long one. Fionna and I fought our very hardest, but when it all came down to it... We lost.”

Disappointment, nearly heartbreak, showed on all three small faces.

“So, you never beat Auntie Thalia?” the oldest one asked.

“And you never became Champion?” the middle one lamented.

“Mhm,” Alex confirmed. “After we lost, we did a lot of thinking together, and we decided we had had enough. We came back home to help around the ranch and live off the money we made from battling. It was the best thing for us.”

“But, daddy,” the youngest one piped up, “how did you become the very best if you never got to be Champion?”

The other two nodded in agreement. Alex chuckled.

“You see, being the very best isn’t always about winning the hardest battles,” he told them fondly. “Sometimes it’s about growing into the best version of yourself that you can be, and settling down where you find the most happiness.”

The three children sat quietly, tossing that bit of wisdom around in their minds. Alex took the time to ruffle the hair on each of their heads before standing up from his chair and stretching.

“Alright, you all go out to play, now,” he said. “I gotta take Fionna out for a ride.”

A chorus of goodbyes followed him out to the yard, where Fionna stood waiting for him. The years had aged her well, like a fine wine, ever more elegant as time went on. Alex walked up to her and stroked her mane, a tradition they had never broken.

“Hey there,” he greeted her with a smile. She huffed in response, nuzzling her face against his.

Without another word, he climbed up onto her back and they were off, jumping the ranch’s fence and galloping off through the woods on their usual route. As they did, Alex found himself reflecting on their lives so far. Maybe they hadn’t found their way to the top of the world, maybe they weren’t regarded as the best battlers in the region, but they both knew very well that what they lacked in titles, they made up for in friendship.

Alex closed his eyes and smiled. He trusted Fionna to take him where they needed to go without incident, just as she had carried him to victory every single day.

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: [queenredwrites](https://queenredwrites.tumblr.com/)


End file.
